A little new fun tonight. Quatre Epices on my chicken, which was placed on a pile of mashed potatoes...no, not mashed potatoes, mashed white sweet potatoes...yes, white sweet potatoes....and quatre epices.
Primarily a French blend, Quatre Epices (Four Spices) brings together the flavors of pepper, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. There might be variations of the spices. For kicks, I picked up my tin of quatre epices from Dean & Deluca. I loved the flavors it brought to the chicken and might try to find other ways to use it in the future, including side dishes or event spicy desserts.
Now White Sweet Potatoes. Fun. Really they tasted the same as its orange-coral cousin, just a little pigmentally challenged. I mashed my taters with a little salt and some butter. Unlike a regular mashed potato, I didn't go crazy with salt or butter, and I omitted the cream altogether. And unlike the orange sweet potato, I didn't go into the sweet/sugar realm.
I think these two items played together very well. The spices on the chicken held their own against the sweet potato and vice versa. Well played good friend.
When I plated up, I put down a pile of taters and placed the sliced chicken breast on top. To finish the entree off, I tossed a finely diced shallot into the fry pan and a little dollop of butter, I spooned this on top. Good...not necessary and didn't really bring anything to this party. Maybe I'll find something in the alcohol family to make a quick glaze next time. We'll see???
If you can find the white sweet potatoes, use orange sweet potatoes or even mashed potatoes...or some other mashed veg...turnips? parsnips?
